Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

The Canon EOS 350D (called Canon XT in some regions) and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in February 2005 and September 2016. The 350D is a DSLR, while the E-M1 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (350D) and a Four Thirds (E-M1 II) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 20.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 350D and the
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors,
their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 350D and the Olympus E-M1 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 350D can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the E-M1 II is
only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Olympus E-M1 II is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Canon 350D. Moreover, the E-M1 II is markedly heavier (6 percent) than the 350D. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M1 II is splash and dust-proof, while the 350D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist.
You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (350D) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M1 II). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M1 II, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 350D gets 400 shots out of its NB-2LH battery,
while the E-M1 II can take 440 images on a single charge of its BLH-1 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 350D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the E-M1 II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 350D features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M1 II
a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M1 II is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the 350D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M1 II offers a 4:3 aspect.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the E-M1 II offers a higher
resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 8 MP of the 350D.
This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 6.41μm for the 350D). However, it should be noted that the E-M1 II is much more recent (by 11 years and 7 months) than the 350D, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M1 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The E-M1 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the 350D, the E-M1 II has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (50MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Canon EOS 350D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the E-M1 II offers substantially better image quality than the 350D (overall score 20 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.9 bits higher color depth, 2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon 350D»

APS-C

8.0

3456

2304

-

21.8

10.8

637

60

Canon 350D

Olympus E-M1 II«

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

23.7

12.8

1312

80

Olympus E-M1 II

Canon 77D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.6

13.3

971

78

Canon 77D

Canon 750D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

22.7

12.0

919

71

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/30p

22.6

12.0

915

70

Canon 760D

Canon 650D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.7

11.2

722

62

Canon 650D

Canon 500D«»

APS-C

15.1

4752

3168

1080/20p

21.7

11.5

663

63

Canon 500D

Canon 450D«»

APS-C

12.2

4272

2848

-

21.9

10.8

692

61

Canon 450D

Canon 30D«»

APS-C

8.2

3504

2336

-

21.5

10.8

736

59

Canon 30D

Canon 400D«»

APS-C

10.1

3888

2592

-

22.1

11.0

664

62

Canon 400D

Canon 20D«»

APS-C

8.2

3504

2336

-

21.9

11.0

721

62

Canon 20D

Canon 300D«»

APS-C

6.3

3072

2048

-

21.0

10.8

544

55

Canon 300D

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.0

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M1«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

23.0

12.7

757

73

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic G9«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/60p

-

-

-

-

Panasonic G9

Panasonic GH5«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/60p

23.9

13.0

807

77

Panasonic GH5

Panasonic GX8«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

23.5

12.6

806

75

Panasonic GX8

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The E-M1 II indeed provides for movie recording, while the 350D does not. The highest resolution format that the E-M1 II can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M1 II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 350D has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M1 II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the
350D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition,
the viewfinder of the E-M1 II has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.49x),
so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 350D and Olympus E-M1 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon 350D»

optical

n

1.8

115

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 350D

Olympus E-M1 II«

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

18.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M1 II

Canon 77D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

6.0

Y

n

Canon 77D

Canon 750D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 760D

Canon 650D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 650D

Canon 500D«»

optical

n

3.0

920

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.4

Y

n

Canon 500D

Canon 450D«»

optical

n

3.0

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.5

Y

n

Canon 450D

Canon 30D«»

optical

Y

2.5

230

fixed

n

1/8000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 30D

Canon 400D«»

optical

n

2.5

230

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

n

Canon 400D

Canon 20D«»

optical

Y

1.8

118

fixed

n

1/8000s

5.0

Y

n

Canon 20D

Canon 300D«»

optical

n

1.8

118

fixed

n

1/4000s

2.5

Y

n

Canon 300D

Olympus E-M5 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M1«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic G9«»

3680

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/8000s

20.0

n

Y

Panasonic G9

Panasonic GH5«»

3680

n

3.2

1620

swivel

Y

1/8000s

12.0

n

Y

Panasonic GH5

Panasonic GX8«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Panasonic GX8

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 350D has one, while the E-M1 II does not.
While the built-in flash of the 350D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The E-M1 II has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 350D does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while
others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-M1 II is one of those camera that have an additional
electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Olympus E-M1 II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 350D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the E-M1 II uses SDXC cards. The E-M1 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 350D
only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison: Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 350D and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon 350D»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 350D

Olympus E-M1 II«

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

3.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M1 II

Canon 77D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 77D

Canon 750D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 750D

Canon 760D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 760D

Canon 650D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 650D

Canon 500D«»

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 500D

Canon 450D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 450D

Canon 30D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 30D

Canon 400D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 400D

Canon 20D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

1.1

-

-

-

Canon 20D

Canon 300D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

1.1

-

-

-

Canon 300D

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M1«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic G9«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

full

3.0

Y

-

Y

Panasonic G9

Panasonic GH5«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

full

3.1

Y

-

Y

Panasonic GH5

Panasonic GX8«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic GX8

It is notable that the E-M1 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data
to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 350D does not offer wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-M1 II (unlike the 350D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights
can be controlled by the camera.

The E-M1 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Olympus.
In contrast, the 350D has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 350D was succeeded by the Canon 400D. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Canon and Olympus websites.

Review summary: Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 350D or the Olympus E-M1 II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 350D:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.

Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (55 percent cheaper at launch).

More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2005).

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II:

More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 56%.

Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.

High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.

Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.

Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.

Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.

More modern: Reflects 11 years and 7 months of technical progress since the 350D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M1 II is the clear winner of the contest (29 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

350D 05:29 E-M1 II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 350D and the Olympus E-M1 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest
Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 350D and the E-M1 II in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews: Canon 350D vs Olympus E-M1 II

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.